Valve for engines.



S. T. ALLEN.

VALVE FOR ENGNES.

APPLmATloH mw Aue. :1, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET mwm.

S. T. ALLEN.

VALVE FOR ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.II, 1915.

Patented Feb. 1, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

SHERMAN T. ALLEN, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORlNIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JOHN' C. HASBROUCK, JR., F NORTH GRAFTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

VALVE FOR ENGINES.

Application filed August 11, 1915.

To all 'whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, SHERMAN T. ALLEN, a-citizen of the Un'ted States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Valves for Engines, of which the 'following is a specification.

This invention relates to valves for engines, and pertains especially to rotary valves.

Itis an object of this invention to provide a rotary valve which will not leak and is prevented from binding in the valve casing.

It is another object of this invention to provide a rotary valve which willexpand Jn .the compression and firing strokes of an internal combustion engine to form a tight t within the valve casing, but which is prevented from expanding to such a degree that the valve will bind or stick in the valve casing.

In rotary valves heretofore constructed, axial leakage has been decreased by the use of packing rings. ,As a rotary valve moves the packing rings in the plane of its rotation, scoring of the cylinder lias'resulted, and in a short'time the valve begins to leak. Where the valve has been made expansible, the high pressure on firing and compression causes the valve to expand to such a degree l that it binds, causing .scoring of the cylinder and a decrease in eficiency due to the power consumed in rotating the valve.

This invention consists particularly in a rotary valve of the tubular type. split longitudinally and having retaining rings mountedthereon to .limit the expansion of the valve.

An embodiment of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:`

Figure 1 is a vertical section through a four cylinder', four cycle gas engine having my improved valve applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section as seen on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an enlarged section illustrating the valve detail. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the tubular valve member.

Fig. 5 is a' section as seen on the .line 5- 5A of Fig. a.

Referring particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, the cylinders of a four cylinder, four cycle gas engine are indicated by 6, 7, 8 and 9 provided With reciprocating pistons 10, 11, 12

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented rei). i, raie.

serial no. 45,032. i

and 13 respectively). ivotally connected to pistons 10, 11, 12 and 13 are the usual piston rods 14, 15, 16 and 17.. The piston rods are rotatively connected to the crankshaft 18,

which is mounted within a crank case 19, I

and through which itv extends. Mounted upon'one end of the crank shaft 18 is the usual pulley :br iiy wheel 20. Fixedly secured upon the crankshaft 18 is a bevel'gear 211 and 24"'. The casings are open at the" lower end to the cylinders and closedjat the upper end. Each casing is provided With a boss 25 which is bored, as indicated at 26 to receive 4the valve stem for operating the tubular valve member 27.k An inlet manifold 2S has branches 29, 29', 29" and 29" which open into `the valve casings to form inlet ports. An exhaust manifold 30 has branches 31, 31', 31" and 31" connecting into the walls lof the valve casing to form exhaust ports. l

Tubular valve'member 27 issplit at one point `as indicated at 32 and is constructed of resilient material so that the valve when inserted in the .valve housing will have a tight lit therein preventing axial leakage. A port 33 is provided and is so disposed that f the split in -the tubular member 27 forms a boundary edge "for the port.v Oppositely disposed to the split 32 is a web 34 in the form of an arm and preferably integral with the Wall of the tubular member. Web 34 has formed preferably integral therewith a stem 35 for rotating the valve. If desirable, arm Sama-y be connected to the valve member 27 by any convenient means other than making it integral and still be within the scope of my invention. A shoulder 36 is formed at the base of stem 35 and a-washer 'inserted between the shoulder and the closed end of the housing 2i, thereby providing means preventing leakage along the valve stem. Packing rings 3S and 39 are mounted upon the valve stem to further prevent leakage. j Peripheral grooves 40 and 41 are forme upon thetubular valve member'27 at the fands thereof to receive retaining. rings" i2 and 43. Retaining rings 42 and 43 are endless, of substantiallythe same diameter as the internal diameter of the housing 24, and form therewith a fit permitting rotation of the rings but preventing leakage of gas. -The internal diameter of the rings is such that they will permit an expansion of the tubular member 27.

Mounted upon the upper end of valve stem 35 and xedly secured thereto by threads isV a spur gear 44. The hub 45 of the spur gear 44 forms a shoulder betweenv which and the bushing 25 is disposed a packing washer 46 to assist in preventing leakage, on the intake stroke of the engine. Mounted upon the upper end of shaft 23 is a spur gear 47 meshing with spur gear 44. Spur gear 44 meshes with spur gear44. An idler gear 48 is disposed between gears 44 and 44. Gear 44 meshes with gear 44". The ratio of the gears 21, 22, 47 and 44 are such that g( ar 44 will rotate at one-half the speed of the engine crank shaft. By reason of the gearing, valve 27 'will rotate in the opposite direction to valve 27. Valve 27" will rotate vin the same direction as valve 27 and valve 27 will rotatein the same direction as valve 27. A housing 49 is provided for the valve operating gear. The means by which the valves are rotated may-be varied and it is not a feature of my invention.

In the position of the valve shown in Figs. 1 and 2, cylinder 6 is firing, cylinder 7 is compressing, cylinder 8 is exhausting, and cylinder 9 is taking in gas.

On the firing strokerofY the engine and on the compression stroke the' high pressure within the cylinder will Yact upon the tubular valve 27 causing the valve to expand. The retaining rings 42 and 43 prevent the tubular member 27 from expanding toi such a degree that the valve will bind. The degree of expansion of the tubular member 27 `depends upon the degree of pressure in the cylinder, and therefore the higher the pressure the greater the expansion up to the point of limitation by rings 42 and 43. The pressure within the cylinder does not force tubular valve member 27 against the top of the valve casingl 24,- as the tubular valve member is open at the top.

What I claim is: v

1. In an engine, a rotary valve comprising a valve casing provided with inlet, exhaust and cylinder ports, a tubular rotatable valve member split longitudinally having a port in the wall thereof; and retaining rings mounted onsaid valve member for limiting expansion of the same.

2. In an engine, a rotary valve comprising a valvecasing provided with inlet, exhaust and cylinder ports, a tubular rotatable valve member open at the upper end, split longitudinally having a port 'in the wall thereof; and retaining rings mounted on said valve memberfor limiting expansion of the same.

3. In an engine, a rotary valve comprising a valve casing provided with inlet, exhaust and cylinder ports, a tubular rotatable valve member split longitudinally having a port in the wall thereof; and endless retaining rings of an external diameter to rotatably fit the said casing and prevent leakage mounted on said valve.

4. In an engine, a rotary valve comprising a valve casing provided with inlet, exhaust and cylinder ports, a tubular rotatable valve member openat the upper end, split longitudinally having a port in the wall thereof; and endless retaining rings of an external diameter to rotatably lit the casing and prevent leakage mounted on said valve.

5. In an engine, a rotary valve comprising avalve casing of hollow cylindrical form closed at its upper end, open at its lower end to an engine cylinder, and Iprovided in its cylinder wall with inlet and exhaust ports; a tubular rotary valve member open at its lovt'er end having a port in the wall thereof.; disposed to register with said inletand exhaust ports; and retaining rings? mounted ori saidV valve member for/:limiting expansionpf the same. 1

6. In af'nf'elngine, a `r9tary"v'alve comprising a valvej'casinghof 4hbllow cylindrical form,

closedfat its upper end, open at its lower,

end tof/an engine cylinder and provided in its cylindrica wall with inlet and exhaust ports; a tubular valve member open at both ends and having a port in the wall thereof disposed to register with said inlet and exhaust ports; a stem secured to'said valve member, an endless retaining ring of an external diameter to rotatably lit said casing and lprevent leakage mounted upon said tubular member.

7. In an engine, a rotary valve comprising a valve casing of hollow cylindrical form,

closed at its upper end, open at its lower end to an engine cylinder provided in its cylindrical Wall with inlet and exhaust ports, and having a hollow bushing for a valve'stem; a tubular rotary valve member operl at both ends having a port in the wall disposed to register with said inlet and `exhaust ports; a stem secured to said valve member provided with a shoulder; and retaining rings mounted on said valve member' for limiting expansion of the same.

In witness that I claim :the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name this 4th 4day of August, 1915.

SHERMAN rr. ALLEN. 

